Praise for the litter pickup; mourning for the Redhounds

Don Estep is Publisher Emeritus of The News Journal.

First, praises to the individuals who are responsible for picking up the litter along the highway on both the Whitley and Laurel County sides of the 312 bridge north of Corbin.

This is a heavily traveled scenic area that will benefit from your efforts.

About three weeks ago I wrote about the litter problem in this area which now seems to be getting attention. Whether this column had any effect on it is irrelevant. The important thing is that people are reacting to the litter problem.

I have had zero effect from my appeal to pave the section of Highway 312 from Barton Mill Road to the bridge. I started writing about the condition of this road several years ago and now it is worse than ever.

Here’s hoping that being one of the major arteries leading to downtown Corbin it will get the necessary repairs soon. It is a negative reflection that could turn into a positive reflection on the town.

•Basketball, sooner or later, it will break you heart. That was a saying one of my broadcast partners on the radio would say when the teams we were following finally took their lumps in a tournament.

Well today my heart is broken and that goes for all Corbin Redhound fans who saw their team eliminated in the 13th Regional championship game by Harlan County.

The kids played their hearts out. They gave every effort one could give, but in the end they lost to a team they had beaten twice during the regular season.

I hate that the fans at Rupp Arena won’t have the opportunity to see this team play in the state tournament. They have been fun to watch.

I hate that they won’t see Andrew Taylor play. Coach Tony Pietrowski called him the best player he has ever coached and the best in the state.

I concur. I have been watching Corbin basketball for over 65 years and he is one of the best, if not the best player I have seen in a Redhound uniform.

Taylor is a junior and perhaps the best is yet to come. I talked to one of his teachers at the school and she told me he is an excellent student.

His demeanor on the court is outstanding. He represents the best a basketball player has to offer. I can’t heap enough praise on this young man for how he has handled himself this year.

His basketball talents can lead him to a good education and a scholarship on a major team. Before that though, we look forward to seeing him play another year with the Redhounds.

•I love watching basketball at the Corbin Arena. It is not just because it is located here, but rather it offers the comfort and space that takes the hassle out of going to the game.
Had this arena been built in say Middleboro or Harlan, I would still favor having the tournament played there.

Over the years we have gone through all kinds of thoughts about the arena, some bad and some good.

Right now I would say the feeling is good. It is starting to hop and it is becoming the asset that was envisioned years ago.

For certain, it is by far the best place for the 13th Regional baskatball tournament.